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Marfinas
The iron bound cellar doors had cooled to the touch and the "thwump, thwump" of heavy reptilian wings receded until his own heartbeat seemed to fill the stone walled cellar. Young hands struggled with the cross bar of the door, designed for someone fully grown. A wince as the bar drops to the floor with a metallic clatter on stone. Cautiously the door is pushed open and an acrid stench winds its way through the gap, the taste of burning hair, flesh and wood hits the back of his throat making him choke. Staggering up the stairs to ground level he finds the consulate, indeed the whole town has been reduced to a charred ruin with on-one left alive. Everything and everyone in his life was gone, like ashes on a breeze... Background Marfinas was born to an elvish ambassador and human mother, living his early life in the relative luxury of an Elven consulate. His mixed heritage earned him little love from the human townsfolk or the elven staff of the consulate, this lead to him preferring his own company and that of his tutors over others. A devastating Dragon attack on the town at the age of twelve left Marfinas the only survivor, now an orphan and alone he had to survive in the wilds using his wits and guile to sustain him. Half starved and nearly feral, Marfinas stumbled into the druidic settlement of Bi'Ka Grove, hidden in the Endless Green Realm. The Arch Druid took pity on the young half elf and agreed to take him in provided he abide by the rules of the druids and never reveal their location to outsiders. Unable to move on from the trauma of the dragon attack, Marfinas devoured any druidic lore that furthered his ambition for revenge. Still preferring his own company the ways of the ranger soon settled comfortably onto his shoulders, his ranging took him far from Bi'Ka grove but he would always return there with goods from the outside world to trade and reacquaint himself with his adopted home. His journeying is all to one end; understanding his enemy, even if this meant learning the harsh and unfamiliar Draconic language and tracking lesser dragons to hone his skills. Marfinas is fiercely loyal to the druids for their help but even such debts may be forgotten in his irrational rage when encountering dragonkind, a recklessness not normally found in the taciturn ranger is exhibited and hard to control. The Shadow of Inestra Despite Flaw's predilection for casting the spell "Shape Water" at every opportunity, Marfinas had to admit that his druid friend was quietly growing into the potential that the Arch-Druid had seen in him. His skilful use of spell-casting was making him more than a match for some of the undead horrors that were unleashed in the quest to prevent our heroes. During the quest to vanquish Inestra an encounter with Geraint Longtail the Half-Dragon; a travelling warrior searching for challengers to pit his wits and sword arm against on the road, served as a painful reminder of Marfinas' lifelong mission to avenge the destruction of his hometown by hunting down the dragon responsible. Although, Marfinas does not desire to rush to his death ill prepared, during the adventure to prevent Inestra's resurrection he could not deny that his swordsmanship is progressing. Willian's betrayal whilst not a complete surprise (survival of the fittest, he picked the wrong side) did throw into stark relief the trust that Marfinas had come to place in his companions, trust they had earned by staying true to their course. He is learning that perhaps there is indeed strength to be found in a group who share a common goal. This isn't to say that he will be ready to join group renditions singing the 17 verses of "Where does a Dwarf hide his gold" led by the ever capable Albricht just yet. If it were not for his independent streak using the Misty Step spell enchanted into his Death's Waltz blade they may well not have been able to destroy the artefacts binding Inestra to this world in time.